I like it when

I like it when I discover that people are trying to get their hands on the talent in my teams.

It is nice when they ask if I mind first, but even if they don't, I still like it.

It is far better to have a team that everyone wants than one no-one care about.

Or even worse, one that no-one knows exists.

Comments

[Andy]

James
I work in DWP too. Glad someone is nicking your staff, hopefully this will reduce the daft ideas coming out of there.
Be nice if you remembered what we are here for - looking after and paying the most vunerable in society not playing with new shiney IT. Solid and dependable and working is no fun for your guys but critical to the organisation. Add in making sure everyone is on the same standard software helps - we did it under EOI (before your time) as it stops need to represent docs on different versions. We also culled local developed systems to improve performance of what the majority did (also before your time) - I love the cyclical nature of DWP.
Fine for you to sit in Ivory thining tower but look at ther implications and practical reults before pontificating on them.
If you want to inovate - try working out how to get major IT suppliers not to use HM Government as a cash cow and deliver a professional service at a sensible price that supports our business rather than shiny new IT being demonstrated by them while failing to deliver on the basics - but that isn't sexy is it.

[James Gardner]

Hello Andy,

Firstly, thank you for writing to me, and thanks also for reading.

I have obviously offended you somehow - my apologies for that.

I'd be interested in hearing the specifics of the issues that you outline though. I didn't think we were doing any "shiny new IT" here.

You have my DWP email address. I'd really be interested in hearing from you if you'd like to help me fix the problem you've identified.

My best
James.

[Andy]

James
Sorry if the original was terse, it wasn’t meant to be, it is just with recent developments in DWP in terms of 30% job losses, attacks on Ts&Cs and the likes I am probably not feeling particularly well disposed to the SCS at the minute.
You’ve not offended me it is just sometime frustration gets the better of me.
Following the CIT conference I felt that sometimes the influx at Torchwood seem to think IT is the be all and end all and great panacea to DWP ills without looking at what has occurred before. I’ve been around 20 years, outsourced to EDS, came back and seeing “new” things we’ve done before isn’t that easy but I should be use to it by now. I worry we don’t learn from history. Maybe that is what I was trying to get at originally was before we see it as bright shiny and innovative, have we checked that this isn’t undoing something we did before or repeating a past mistake or better still understanding why we made the mistake and seeing how to do it right.
I might take you up on the mail offer but not really looking to pop the head up at the moment, 30% job cuts make you wary of inviting a bullet, especially with a wife and kids to look after.
Perhaps you can offer a view in a future blog on Management in an organisation that says well done to its staff then kills their Ts&Cs and cuts jobs. Taking umbrage at losing in the high court then saying that legislative changes worsening the terms are good and all due to a union for fighting for its members. Although I wouldn’t if I were you – you might need a job like the rest of us!